India Travel
Kozhikode (Calicut) The City in Kerala
Few traces remain of the model city laid out in the fourteenth century, which followed a Hindu grid formula based on a sacred diagram containing the image of the cosmic man, Purusha. The axis and energy centre of the city was dictated by the position of the ancient Tali Shiva temple (closed to non-Hindus) which survives to this day. Everything, and everybody, had a place in the scheme. The district around the port in the northwest was reserved for foreigners. Here, a Chinese community lived in and around Chinese Street (now Silk Street) and, later, the Portuguese, Dutch and British occupied the area. Keralan Muslims (Mappilas) lived in the southwest. The northeast of the city was a commercial quarter, and in the southeast stood the Tali temple. Here too ^as a palace and fort; all the military kataris, martial art gymnasia, that stood around the perimeter have now gone.
made clothes shops sell the locally produced plain white cotton cloth. You cannot fail to be dazzled by the sheer number of gold jewellery shops, full of ladies spending lavish amounts of the money faithfully sent by relatives in the Gulf This district is also a good place to try the local halva sweets, especially popular with the large Mappila community. Some shops also specialize in piping-hot banana chips, straight from the frying pan.
Locals enjoy a promenade on or near the beach (3km from the centre; m the late afternoon and early evening. Although not suitable for swimming, it’s a restful place, where you can munch on roasted peanuts sold in the many stalls while scanning the seas for jumping dolphins. After dark it’s difficult to find an auto-rickshaw to take you back into town, but on the land side of the road regular buses run into the centre. You will have to travel to find better beaches such ® the historic beach of Kappad. 16km to the north, where Vasco da Gama is said to have landed in 1498 with a hundred and seventy sailors; a small memorial marks the spot. A gentle and partly rocky beach with cottage accommodation at the Kappad Beach Resort (0496/683760) nearby, Kappad lies 4km from Thiruvangoor oil the Kozhikode—Badagara route serviced by numerous buses.
The Pazhassirajah and Krishnamenon Museums and Art Gallery (daily 10am—12.30pm & 2pm-5pm, except Wed 2.30-5pm only) stand together 5km from the centre on East Hill. The Pazhassirajah collection includes copies of murals, coins, bronzes and models of the umbrella-shaped, stone megalithic remains peculiar to Kerala, while the museum houses a collection of memorabilia associated with the left-wing Keralan politician VK Krishnamenon, and a gallery of works by Indian artists.
Related Properties from Gurgaon
Kozhikode (Calicut) in Kerala
The busy coastal city of KOZHIKODE (Calicut), 225km north of Kochi, occupies an extremely important place in Keralan legend and history. It is also significant in the story of European interference in the subcontinent, as Vasco da Gama first set foot in India at Kozhikode in 1498. However, as a tourist destination, it's a dud, with precious few remnants of its historic past. The few foreigners that pause here invariably do so only to break the long journey between Mysore and Kochi. Kozhikode s roots are shrouded in myth. According to Keralan tradition, the powerful king Cheraman Perumal is said to
North of Kozhikode in Kerala
The beautiful coast of Kerala, north of Kozhikode, is a seemingly endless stretch of coconut palms, wooded hills and virtually deserted beaches; the towns hold little of interest for visitors, most of whom bypass the area completely. However, then you miss out on the fun of a search through the villages for Teyyattam, the extraordinary masked trance dances that take place throughout the region during winter.
Kozhikode (Calicut) Arrival and information in Kerala
The railway station (0495/701234), served by a handful of coastal expresses and several passenger trains, is close to the centre. Trains heading north on the Konkan Railway include the fast, all a/c Rajdhani Express #2431 (Fri & Sac) which stops at Madgaon (Goa) on the way to Delhi, but the most convenient, in terms of departure time, is the Netravati Express #6636 (daily 9.45am). Neither trains stop at Mangalore but at a nearby town. Kankanadi-Trains south include the Mangala Lakshadweep Express #2618 (daily 7.35am) to Ernakulam and the overnight Malabar Express #6330 (daily 10.40pm) to Thiruvananthapuram. O£ the three bus
Thrissur in Kerala
The breezy bazaar town of THRISSUR (Trichur), roughly midway between Kochi (74km south) and Palakkad (79km northeast) on NH-47. is an obvious base for exploring the cultural riches of central Kerala. Near the Palghat (Palakkad) Gap - an opening in the natural border made by the Western Ghat mountains - it presided over the main trade route into the region from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. For years Thrissur was the capital of Cochin State, controlled at various times by both the zamorin of Kozhikode and Tipu Sultan of Mysore. Today, it justifiably prides itself on being the cultural capital of
Travel details for Travel details in Kerala
For details of ferry services on the backwaters - primarily between Alappuzha and Kollam. Trains Kochi/Ernakulam to: Alappuzha (3-5 daily; 1hr 20min): Bangalore (1 daily; 14hr); Chennai (3-5 daily; 12hr45min-14hr40min); Coimbatore (3-4 daily; 4hr 45min-5hr 30min); Delhi (2 daily; 40hr 30min-49tir), Kanniyakumari (2-3 daily; 8hr); Kollam (8-9 daily; 3-4tir|; Kottayam (8-9 daily; 1hr 5min); Kozhikode (6-7.daily; 3hr 20min-6hr 20min); Mumbai (2-3 daily; 28hr 20min 10hr 25min); Palakkad (5-6 daily; 3hr 20mm); Tliiriivananthapuram (9-11 daily; 4hr 20min-5hr): Thrissur (12-14 daily; 1 hr 30min-2hr). Kozhikode to: Kochi (6-7 daily; 4hr 30min-5hr 10min); Mangalore (3-4 daily; 5hr 40min-6hr); Mumbai (2-3 daily; 16hr 20min-23hr); Thiruvananthapuram (4-6
North of Kozhikode Kannur (Cannanore) and around in Kerala
KANNUR (Cannanore), 92km north of Kozhikode, was for many centuries the capital of the Kolathiri rajas, who prospered from the thriving maritime spice trade through its port. In the early 1500s, after Vasco da Gama passed through, the Portuguese took it and erected an imposing bastion, St Angelo's fort, overlooking the harbour, but today this is occupied by the Indian army and closed to visitors. If you come to Kannur at all, it will probably be on the trail of Teyyattam, spectacular spirit-possession rituals that are an important feature of village life in the area from late October until May.
Kozhikode (Calicut) Accommodation and eating in Kerala
Kozhikode's reasonably priced city-centre hotels, most of which operate a 24-hr check-out, can fill up by evening, especially during conventions. The beach area is a quiet alternative. Your best bet for a proper meal is to eat at your hotel, though you can get south Indian snacks in town at the dependable Indian Coffee House on Kallai Road. The open-air Park Restaurant, by Mananchira tank, makes an appealing city centre oasis in the evenings. Mezban at the Asma Tower on Mavoor Road is comfortable with a tasteful a/c section where you can get Continental and local breakfasts. The strong menu
Some history in Kerala
The god Farashurama, "Rama with the battle-axe", the sixth incarnation of Vishnu, is credited with creating Kerala. Born a brahmin, he set out to re-establish the supremacy of the priestly class, whose position had been usurped by arrogant kshatryas, the martial aristocracy. Brahmins were forbidden to engage in warfare, but he embarked upon a campaign of carnage, which only ended when Varuna, the all-seeing god of the sea, gave him the chance to create a new land from the ocean, for brahmins to live in peace. Its limits were defined by the distance Parashurama could throw his axe; the waves
Thiruvananthapuram Information and tours in Kerala
All the tourist offices at the airport are open during flight times. The Government of India's counter (0471/501498) offers general information regarding Kerala and the adjacent states, while the Government of Kerala has two counters, one at the domestic terminal (0471/501085) and the other at the internacion.il terminal (0471/502298), offering Kerala-specific information including, for example, on backwater cruises. The Government of Kerala also has an office in the main block at the Thampanoor bus stand (Mon-Sat 10am-5pm; 0471/327224) which is good for general information and maps and sells tickets for backwater cruises between Kollam and Alappuzha. They have another counter
Alappuzha Practicalities in Kerala
The shambolic KSRTC bus stand, on the east of town, is served by half-hourly buses to Kollam, Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakukm; less frequent buses run to Kottayam, Thrissur and Palakkad. The boat jetty is just one minute's walk west from the bus stand. As the backwaters prevent trains from continuing south beyond Alappuzha, only a few major daily services and a handful of passenger trains depart from the railway station, 3km southwest of the jetty. Among these are the Bokaro/Tata Express #8690 at 6am, the Trivandrum-Mumbai CST Express #6332 at 7.20am and the-Alleppey-Chennai Express #6042 at 3pm; all three stop at
Moving on from Kochi/ErakuEam in Kerala
For an overview of travel services to and from Kochi/Ernakulam, see Travel Details on p.1378. By air The new international airport (0484/610050, 610115. or 610116) at Nedumbassery near Alwaye (aka Alua), 26km to the north of Ernakulam, has been designed to attract international flights especially from the Gulf. Jet Airways has two flights a day to Mumbai, and Indian Airlines operates daily flights to Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi, and Thiruvananthapuram. Indian Airlines flies six days a week to Chennai, and twice weekly to Goa, Coimbatore, Hyderabad and Calicut. If you want to fly to the Lakshadweep Islands, contact Casino Hotel, Willingdon Island f-
North of Kozhikode Practicalities in Kerala
Straddling the main coastal transport artery between Mangalore and Kochi/Thiruvananthapuram, Kannur is well connected by bus and train to most major towns and cities in Kerala. In addition buses also travel to Mysore turning inland at Thalassery (aka Tellychery) and climbing the beautiful wooded ghats toVirajpet in Kodagu. Decent budget accommodation is available at Plaza Tourist Home (0497/360031), close to the railway station gates on Fort Road, which has reasonable rooms and an Indian Coffee House restaurant downstairs. A few metres up the road lies Madan (0497/768204), a sunny friendly budget lodge set in a courtyard with simple rooms. Swadeshi Woodlands
Kochi (Cochin) Arrival and local transport in Kerala
Kochi's brand new international airport is at Nedumbassery, near Always (aka Alua), 26km to the north of Ernakulam. Kochi is served by daily flights from Mumbai. Bangalore. Thiruvananthapuram and Delhi, and six each week from Chennai. Two weekly flights depart from Goa, Hyderabad-Kozhikode. and Coimbatore, as well as the Lakshadweep Islands and the Gulf States of Doha. Dubai. Kuwait. Sharjah and Muscat. There are three railway stations - Ernakulam Junction (131), closest to the centre, is the most important; Ernakulam Town lies 4km to the north. No trains run to For Cochin or Mattan cherry. The Cochin
Chinese fishing nets in Kerala
The huge, elegant Chinese fishing nets that line the northern shore of Fort Cochin add grace to an already characterful waterside view, and ate probably. The single most familiar photographic image of Kerala. Traders from the court of Kublai Khan are said to have introduced them to the Malabar region" Known in Malayalam as cheena vala, they can also be seen throughout the back waters further south. The nets, which are suspended from arced poles and operated by levers and weights, require at least four men to control. You can buy fresh fish from the tiny market here and have
Ernakulam in Kerala
ERNAKULAM presents the modern face of Kerala, with more of a city feel than Thiruvananthapuram, but small enough not to be daunting. Other than the fairly dull Parishath Thamburan Museum (Tues-Sun 9.30am-noon & 3-5.30pm) in Darbar Hall Road, there's little in the way of sights. Along the busy, long, straight Mahatma Gandhi (MG) Road, which more or less divides Ernakulam in half 500m back from the sea, the main activities are shopping, eating and movie-going. Here you can email and phone to your heart's content, and choose from an assortment of great places to eat Keralan food. This area is
Practicalities of Coimbatore in Central Tamil Nadu
Coimbatore's two main bus stands, Central and Thiruvalluvar, are close together towards the norm of the city centre; the busy town bus stand is sandwiched in between. From Central bus stand, on Dr Nanjappa Road, buses leave for Ooty every fifteen minutes. Buses to Bangalore and Mysore can be booked in advance at the reservation office (9am-noon & 1-8pm). There are also frequent services to and from Madurai, Chennai and Tiruchirapalli (Trichy, A third stand, Ukkadam bus stand, serves local towns and destinations in northern Kerala, such as Pollachi, Palghat, Munnar,Trissur and Kannur; it's 4km form the others, in the
Kollam (Quilon) and around in Kerala
One of the oldest ports of the Malabar coast, KOLLAM (pronounced "Koillam" and previously known as Quilon), 74km northwest of Thiruvananthapuram and 85km south of Alappuzha, was once at the centre of the international spice trade. The sixteenth-century Portuguese writer Duarte Barbossa described it as a" very great city with a right good haven", which was visited by "Moors, Heathen and Christians in great numbers", and stated that "a great store" of pepper was to be found there. In fact, the port flourished from the very earliest times, trading amicably with the Phoenicians, Arabs, Persians, Greeks, Romans and Chinese. Nowadays, Kollam
Thiruvananthapuram The City in Kerala
The historical and spiritual heart of Thiruvananthapuram is in the Fort area at the southern end of MG Road, which encloses the Shri Padmanabhaswamy Vishnu temple. Following MG Road north leads you through the main shopping district, which is busy all day, and especially choked when one of the frequent, but generally orderly, political demonstrations converges on the grail" colonial Secretariat building halfway alone. The whole centre can be explored easily on foot, though you might be glad of a rickshaw ride (Rsl 5-20) back from the museums and parks, close to the top end of the road.
Some history of Goa
The sheer inaccessibility of Goa by land has always kept it out of the mainstream of Indian history; on the other hand, its control of the seas and the lucrative spice trade made it a much-coveted prize for rival colonial powers. Until a century before the arrival of the Portuguese adventurer Vasco da Gama, who landed near Kozhikode in Kerala in 1498, Goa had belonged for over a thousand years to the kingdom of Kadamba. In the interim it had been successfully conquered by the KarnatakanVijayanagars, the Muslim Bahmanis, andYusuf Adil Shah ofBijapur.but the capture of the fort at Panjim
Arrival and information in Kerala
The international airport (connected to most major Indian cities, as well as Sn Lanka, the Maldives and the Middle East), with tourist information and foreign exchange facilities, is 6km southwest of town and serviced by an airport bus and bus #14 to and from the City bus stand. Auto-rickshaws will run you into the centre for around Rs40 and there's also a handy prepaid taxi service. If you're heading straight out to Kovalam, you may find that a prepaid taxi is i nost as cheap as an auto-rickshaw. The long-distance KSRTC Thampanoor bus stand (0471/323886) and railway station (0471/329246 or 132)